The present invention relates to the washing and drying of aluminum laps used in the processing of ophthalmic lenses and, more particularly, to an automated lap washer rack system structure having an enclosure containing a washing and a drying chamber through which special mounting trays, removably attached to a tabletop style conveyor, carry aluminum laps through first the washing and then the drying chambers.
Aluminum laps, used for the processing of ophthalmic lenses, are generally made of bar stock aluminum ranging in diameter from 2.5 to 3.5 inches. Laps weigh approximately one pound and have one to two convex curves on the topside and a flat grooved bottom. They have an indefinite life and are used continuously to hold special pads designed to smooth and polish ophthalmic lenses. The polishing process is accomplished in two steps, “fining” and “polishing”. The fining process accomplished using a cylinder surface machine, uses a paper-like material typically coated with silicon carbide which removes material from the lens until it conforms to the convex shape of the lap. The polishing step replaces the fining pad with a soft woven velveteen backed pad which is impregnated with aluminum oxide polish to produce a clear transparent finish on the lens.
When polishing is complete, the lap is unclean and must be washed before the aluminum oxide dries and becomes difficult to remove. Washing laps by hand is laborious and time consuming and, in a large lens production facility, is counter-productive. The present invention facilitates the cleaning of large numbers of laps in an efficient and consistent manner as will be described in the following description and in the drawings annexed hereto.